Cycling with African Dwarf Frogs

We set up a 5 gallon Marineland Nook this week to house a betta and two AFDs.

Can I cycle the tank with AFDs? The aquarium has 3 live plants and I've been adding Topfin Bacteria supplement.

Here's my tank

 

HI UTGrad welcome to FishLore!

Cycling with African Dwarf Frogs is not a good idea. They are really sensitive to water conditions. Their skin is porous and will absorb the toxins through their skin.

Cute tank

 

Thanks Lucy

I plan on doing 25-30% water changes every other day. Would the water changes along with live plants lessen the impact on my AFDs?

 

It would help keep them safer (along with a conditioner that detoxes ammonia like Prime) but in order for the tank to cycle the beneficial bacteria needs ammonia and nitrites to develop. Both are extremely toxic.

Have you considered fishless (frogless) cycling?
Otherwise maybe consider using Tetra SafeStart. It's a bacterial additive that many members have had success with.
Even with that there will a small measurable amount of ammonia.

 

Anybody had success with Topfin Bacteria Supplement? That's what I'm using.

 

I have never seen it. I used Tetra Safe Start on three tanks and did a fish in cycle with each tank. one of them had a single betta for the cycle which took two weeks for each tank. Alison

 

I'd go buy like 10 feeder guppies or a few really cheap $1 or less fish. Feed them normal it'll cycle the fastest with no established media. Guppies will eventually get eaten or die off, $1 danios I give away or sacrifice to the porcelain god. Dwarf frogs are actually extremely hard to keep alive they will die very quickly in unestablished tank.

Or fishless cycle with dr. Tims, ammonia drops, but if you already bought fish and have no other tank that won't work.

really good quick video on fishless cycling

 

Day 3 with the frogs and they seem to be fine. Today I'll do a small water change.